Foreign Minister Retno: Indonesian Citizens Died In Bangladesh Immediately Evacuated

Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi gave a press statement at the Jakarta Presidential Palace, Thursday (8/8/2024). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the Indonesian government continues to establish communication to evacuate Indonesian citizens (WNI) after an Indonesian citizen died at a Bangladeshi hotel that caught fire on Monday, August 5.

In a written statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu), the victim of an Indonesian citizen with the initials DU died due to too much smoke from the hotel where the victim was staying on fire during the riots in Bangladesh.

"From our side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has communicated with the family, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also with our ambassadors in Dhaka to continue to communicate how to carry out the evacuation as best they can," said the Foreign Minister when giving a press statement at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Thursday, August 8.

The DU victims are known to arrive in Bangladesh on August 1, 2024 for a business visit.

For the death of the victim, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also contacted the families of the victims in Indonesia to express their condolences and facilitate the repatriation of their bodies.

At least 73 people were killed, including 14 police officers, in clashes between security forces and protesters in Dhaka and other cities in Bangladesh.

Protests escalated last week to protest against the policy of the civil servant quota implemented by the Bangladeshi government, following clashes at Dhaka University.

Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin also dissolved parliament as a sign of the end of the era of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration fleeing to India after facing massive demonstrations against civil servants' quotas in the country.

Bangladesh's presidency in a statement Tuesday explained that the decision was made after discussions with the heads of the armed forces, leaders of political parties, representatives of civil society, and leaders of the student-led protest movement.